America’s looking for a new #1 DJ (not Pauly D)

Thanks to his unparalleled contributions to the dance music landscape and one of the finest music videos yet crafted, DJ Pauly D has indeed made it onto the nominees list for the 2012 America’s Best DJ award. Now that you’ve breathed your sighs of relief, we can move on. The annual poll – orchestrated by America’s longest-running DJ magazine DJ Times since 2006 – certainly takes in the full scope of Stateside dance music. Or, sort of…

As the website hails, “America hasn’t been this hot for DJ culture and dance music since The Disco Era,” and 100 nominees have been chosen based on “their career accomplishments and current drawing power”. So, on that criteria, you’ve got a real mixed bag on the list: everyone from A-Trak to Carl Craig to DJ Shadow to Moby to…hate magnet du jour Bl3nd. Even German gun Markus Schulz is included in the running, given he now calls Miami home, and there’s a strong showing from young players like Porter Robinson, Kill The Noise and Max Vangeli.

In 2011, the DJ voted ‘America’s Best’ was none other than Kaskade, who has journeyed from deep house specialist to blockbuster stadium-filler. He was closely followed by Skrillex, Z-Trip, BT, Steve Aoki, Diplo and Wolfgang Gartner. 2010 saw DJ Qbert take the top spot. The 2012 winner will be announced in September.

America’s Best DJ – The 100 Nominees

Armand Van Helden
A-Trak
Audrey Napoleon
Baby Anne
Bad Boy Bill
Bassnectar
Blake Jarrell
Bl3nd
BT
Carl Craig
Cedric Gervais
Christopher Lawrence
Claude VonStroke
Cold Blank
Colette
Crystal Method
Designer Drugs
Dieselboy
Dillon Francis
Diplo
Disco Fries
DJ Boris
DJ Craze
DJ Creme
DJ Dan
DJ Enferno
DJ Fei-Fei
DJ Godfather
DJ Icey
DJ Pauly D
DJ Shadow
DJ Shiftee
DJ Skribble
DJ Swamp
DJ Theo
DJ Vice
Dennis Ferrer
Derrick Carter
Donald Glaude
Dubfire
Eco
Erick Morillo
Faust & Shortee
Felix Da Housecat
Filo & Peri
Flosstradamus
François K
Frankie Knuckles
Gabriel & Dresden
George Acosta
Girl Talk
Grandmaster Flash
Green Velvet
Ian Carey
Jazzy Jeff
Jeff Mills
Joe Bermudez
Josh Wink
Kill the Noise
LA Riots
Louie Vega
Manufactured Superstars
Mark Farina
Markus Schulz
Matthew Dear
Max Vangeli
Miguel Migs
MiMOSA
Mixmaster Mike
Moby
Morgan Page
Oscar G
Paper Diamond
Porter Robinson
Pretty Lights
Reid Speed
Rob Swift
Robbie Rivera
Roger Sanchez
Roonie G
Saeed Younan
Scotty Boy
Serge Devant
Sharam
Shogun
Skrillex
Sleepy & Boo
SovietPanda
Stacey Pullen
Steve Aoki
Sticky Boots
Tittsworth
Tommie Sunshine
Tritonal
Trouble & Bass Crew
12th Planet
VibeSquaD
Victor Calderone
Wolfgang Gartner
Z-Trip